The Weasley Way
by Remus-is-a-chocoholic
Summary: The final Battle took place in fourth year and Molly and Arthur lost their lives. It is now up to Bill to look after the brood. Can he be the parent that the others so desperately need or will he crumble under the pressure?
1. Chapter 1

**The Weasley Way**

**Summary: Harry fought Voldemort in his fourth year, there was a large battle and Molly and Arthur lost their lives. Sirius is alive and so Harry is living with his godfather and Remus, whilst Bill has overtaken the role as head of the Weasley Family. This story is about the Weasley children coping without Molly and Arthur and about Bill trying to become a parent to the other children. Charlie and Percy will also play key leadership roles.**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling._

Chapter 1-Unfair

The wind howled sorrowfully in Ottery St Catchpole, a sound of mourning and pain that would chill you to the bone. The trees shook gently, as if shaking their heads sadly at the day's events and rain was trickling steadily from ahead, as if the clouds themselves were weeping in despair. The burrow, once so homely and inviting, was now cold and bare. There was no roaring fire in the hearth, no godly smells drafting in from the kitchen. There were no chattering voices or the sound of footsteps on the many stairs. No, all was quiet. Bill Weasley stared down at the photograph in his hand, it was stained with tears but he hadn't the heart to wipe them away. This was the last photo of them all, the last time they would ever be captured as a family. It was over. He was 24 for Merlin's sake, hardly capable of caring for himself never mind six other children. Charlie wouldn't be too bad, at least he would be coming over to help, but what about the twins and Ron and Ginny; they were still in Hogwarts. He sighed, so this was how it was going to be from now on? He couldn't give up, couldn't let them go into care. No, as long as he was still breathing the others would have a home. He didn't know how to be a parent, but it couldn't be too hard could it? People did it all the time. There was a creak and he heard footsteps by the front door. His eyes took on a look of fierce determination as he hauled himself to his feet. He could do this.

-XXX-

The funeral was a week later, in the beautiful cemetery in Godricks Hollow. Many people arrived as the Weasley parents had had many friends. Dumbledore spoke of their bravery and undeniable love, he spoke of how they had fought and died together for their family. Then Harry stood up, he told of the sorrow he felt knowing that two wonderful people had fallen, he told of the love they had showed him and the family they had welcomed him into. It soon became too much for the boy and Sirius had had to get up and help take Harry away. Bill couldn't deny the jealously he felt at that small action, he longed to have his father's arms around his shoulders or his mother kissing his cheek in the way that Sirius had done to his godson. It could never happen again though, for Molly and Arthur were gone and the warm hugs and motherly kisses were gone with them. Bill was the last to speak, he didn't look at the coffins as he spoke, knowing that a breakdown was unavoidable if he did. He spoke of what wonderful parents they had been and the love they had shown every day. The speech lasted for the best part of twenty minutes and even then he didn't think he had done them justice. No amount of words ever could. Ginny snuggled into his side as they sat together on the front bench, she was sobbing freely and he couldn't help but feel angry, angry that his beautiful baby sister should have to be orphaned at 13. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

-XXX-

The house was quiet that night, Charlie had returned from Romania earlier for the funeral and so they were all together again. Yet, he had never felt so alone. Ginny hadn't ceased her crying, sh had barricaded herself in her room and not allowed anyone access, not that they had tried much. Fred and George were lost, they didn't speak and were no longer their carefree selves. Ron was naught more than a hollow shell, he moved mechanically and without thought. Percy was just as bad as Ginny, no one had seen him since the funerals end. Charlie was the only one who had managed to hold it together and even he wasn't doing too well. The two oldest Weasley brothers sat together on the floral sofa in the sitting room. They stared into the dying fire but neither moved to rekindle it. "How did you manage to get them to allow you to look after the others?" Charlie asked, finally destroying the mounting silence.

Bill sighed "it wasn't easy, but I had help from the goblins and Dumbledore was behind me, so the jury eventually had to see it my way." The younger man nodded. "What about your job Charlie?" Bill finally asked "when are you going back to it?"

Charlie merely shook his head in defeat "I'm not" he told his brother sadly "I'm staying here with you and the others, I thought about going back, but I can't do it." Bill nodded, he didn't understand but he didn't really need to, Charlie was old enough to make his own decisions. "I'm going to bed" Charlie announced finally "will you be alright?"

Bill looked up with an eyebrow raised "I'm 24 years old Charlie, what do you think?"

The younger man smiled a little and nodded "aright then, I'll see you in the morning"

Bill nodded and Charlie took his leave, when the younger brother was out of earshot Bill sighed and whispered in a small, pathetic voice "no Charlie. I'm not alright. Please don't leave."

A/N: alright, so…what does everybody think? This was just a short Prologue to get you thinking. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**The Weasley Way**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling._

Chapter 2-Mourning

Bill Weasley awoke to a rather uncomfortable pain in his back and the persistent sun shining down on his through the window. He groaned when he noticed that he'd spent the night on the sofa, no wonder his back felt so rough. There was a heavenly smell wafting in from the kitchen and-just for a moment- Bill smiled at the thought of his mother's wonderful cooking. Then he remembered, there would be no more of Molly's breakfast and so, with a sigh, he decided to rise and investigate the source of the smell. Charlie was in the kitchen, slaving away over the stove in order to make enough food for the seven of them. He turned and gave Bill a brief nod before raising an eyebrow and sighing "you shouldn't sleep on the sofa Bill, it won't do you any good" the oldest Weasley child snorted at his brothers motherly tone, but nodded anyway before making his way out into the hall. There was a small sniffling coming from the stairs and he decided that it as best to check up on whichever child was crying.

It was Ginny, she was hunched over on the second step with her hair in her face as she sobbed quietly "Gin?" he enquired softly and she looked up in confusion.

"Oh, hi Bill" her voice was dull and lifeless as she wiped at her eyes. He smiled softly and dropped down beside her, his strong arm weaved gently around her shoulders in a comforting way and she leaned her head against his side. "Does it make me a bad person Bill?" she asked quietly "to be jealous of Harry. He's just gotten everything he ever wanted; a family and we've lost it."

He sighed and rubbed small, soothing circles on her back. "No Ginny. It doesn't make you a bad person. Harry hasn't had a family for a long time, so I'm happy that he's found one, but I understand how you feel Gin. It isn't fair" she nodded and snuggled closer to him. "Ginny?" he asked after a moment of silence. She nodded "just because mum and dad aren't here, doesn't mean that we aren't a family. We are a family Gin and we always will be." She nodded and he smiled a little "come on, Charlie's making breakfast.

-XXX-

Once the table had been set and the food dished up, it was only Ginny, Charlie and Bill present. They waited for a while, expecting the others to drift in but they never did. Eventually, Bill jumped up and marched up the stairs, he stopped first at Percy's room and opened the door to find the redhead buried under a mass of blankets. "Come on Perce" he called softly "I know you're still upset-we all are, but that doesn't mean you can go into hibernation and miss meals" Percy's head rose and he studied his older brother with narrow, sleep-clouded eyes for a brief moment, before giving a brief nod and sluggishly rising from the bed. He then shuffled from the room and down the stairs in the direction of the kitchen. Bill sighed and made his way to Fred and George's room.

Unlike Percy, the twins weren't asleep. They were sat in the centre of the room, staring into nothingness. Bill knocked gently on the door frame and George-unmistakeable because of the missing ear-looked up. "Bill?" he asked quietly and the man nodded slightly.

"Come on boys, it's time for breakfast."

"We're not hungry" they announced at once ad Bill sighed softly.

"I know that you're upset, but you can't hide yourself away. You need food and you're going to get it if I have to carry you down there myself" The twins looked ready to argue for a moment, but it didn't last long. Fred reached over and took George's hand and they walked slowly down to the kitchen together. Bill sighed, three down and just one more to go.

Ron wasn't asleep when Bill swung the door open, he was cuddled up on the window seat, sobbing softly into a pillow. "Ron?" he called but the boy did not look up. He moved forwards and perched lightly beside Ron's shaking form, he reached out a hand and gently began to rub soothing circles on the boys back. "It's alright Ron. Everything is going to be alright" the boy didn't seem to believe this, for his tears did not cease. "Ron. Ron look at me for a second" finally, Ron looked up from the pillow and into the sad blue eyes of his older brother.

"They're gone Bill" he croaked out miserably "gone forever, they can't come back. Dad's never going to talk to us about the wonders of muggles and mum's never going to stuff us with food until we can't walk. They're gone." His voice was so helpless and weak that Bill couldn't help but draw him into the warm, protective circle of his strong arms.

"I know Ron" he whispered gently as the boy sobbed into his shirt "but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. It'll all be alright Ron, everything's going to be ok" truth be told, Bill felt rather guilty. He had spent the past week worrying over Ginny, as she was the youngest, but he had completely forgotten about Ron. Forgotten that his brother was only 14 and far too young to be without parents.

The boy looked up sadly and Bill smiled gently "you won't ever leave us, will you Bill?" the words were so innocently spoken, they made Ron seem so fragile and breakable.

"Of course I won't, you nutter. You're not getting rid of me that easily." Ron smiled lightly and snuggled deeper into Bill's protective hold. "Hey Ron, why don't we do something today, just the two of us. We'll play chess and you can show me how you got so good because we all know that you're by far the best." Ron looked up briefly and smiled gently as Bill wiped the tears from his brother's face.

"I'd like that" he whispered and Bill smiled.

"Come on. Charlie's made breakfast and there'll be none left if we don't get down there soon." Ron nodded and the two brothers descended the stairs together.

-XXX-

Breakfast was a quiet event, there was no chatter or even quiet chatting, about half way through, Bill had had enough. "Alright kids" he spoke up "I know you're upset, we all are, Charlie and I included, but mum and dad wouldn't have wanted us to give up and stop living. No, we have to carry on. I'm not asking you to forget about them or to get back to normal straight away, it will never quite be the same without them, but we can't just mourn and forget to live." He sat back down with a small sigh and Charlie rose.

"Bill's right-incredibly cheesy-but right" there were even a few smiles at Charlie's words "we need to try and carry on just like they'd have wanted us to." he gave each sibling a small, soft smile before nodding and dropping back down into his chair. The room remained silent for a few minutes, until tiny snippets of meaningless conversation began to fill the air. Bill and Charlie exchanged a look of hope, maybe everything would be ok after all.

-XXX-

Later on that day, found Bill and Ron sitting opposite each other with a wizarding chess board on the table between them. Charlie was making tea with Ginny, the twins were chatting quietly in the corner and Percy was fully absorbed in his book. It could almost pass for a normal day in the burrow. Almost. "Knight to E9" Ron called triumphantly and Bill watched in shock as his younger brother won yet another game.

"How did you…I mean, I taught you…but you just….three games you…" the older Weasley stuttered whilst the younger boy looked on with a happy smirk.

"Face it Bill" he said happily "you've lost your touch" the older boy nodded and began packing the chess things away.

"Come on, Tea will be ready soon." Ron nodded and set off towards the kitchen. Bill watched with a small smile as the others filtered in. they would be ok, he just knew it.

**A/N: Sorry that the chapters aren't very long, they will start getting longer later on. Thanks to Abbl2 and Desartratt for being the first people to review. Don't forget to comment!**


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